


New Traditions

by gingercanary



Series: Missing Amaya [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Also Smoaking Canary is the background pairing, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Roommates, Winter, Zari and Amaya are totem bearers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23931799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingercanary/pseuds/gingercanary
Summary: Zamaya uni/college roommates AU. They're both staying in their apartment for the winter holidays, so domestic activities ensue. The fluffiest Zamaya, with a side of Smoaking Canary. A big thank you to the most amazing beta everDKGwrites
Relationships: Amaya Jiwe & Felicity Smoak, Amaya Jiwe & Sara Lance, Amaya Jiwe/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Felicity Smoak & Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Sara Lance & Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Sara Lance/Felicity Smoak
Series: Missing Amaya [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753645
Comments: 12
Kudos: 22
Collections: Arrowverse Under Quarantine





	New Traditions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [delublue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/delublue/gifts).



The bus stop was barely visible under the thick layer of snow, still falling steadily past their fogged up windows. A few stories below, some other students were having a wild snowball fight, complete with snow forts and all. Amaya handed the last dish to dry to Zari and reached out, drawing a large flower on the window. She finished it off with a small bee, then stepped back as if she were presenting her art to Zari. 

“I thought you were a science student,” Zari joked. “I didn’t realise my roommate was Picasso.”

“Oh hush, you know you love me.” Amaya wiped away her artwork, then cracked the window. Cold air rushed in. “Have you ever built something like that?” Amaya gestured outside.

"A fort?" Zari shivered and rubbed her hands against her arms as she stepped away from the rush of cold air through the open window.'

“Yeah. What does someone like you like to do during the winter holidays? I’m assuming you don’t celebrate Christmas. Not in the traditional sense at least,” Amaya said. 

  
“Just because I’m not Christian doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate Christmas,” Zari replied. “I still love the whole tree decorating and gift-giving parts of Christmas. Like an atheist does. Except I’m not an atheist.” Zari paused and glanced at her roommate, eyeing the large necklace that graced her collarbones. “I assume that you’re not Christian either?” 

Amaya ran her hands over her curls, taking her time to answer. “My family history begins deep in the heart and soul of Zambesi. You don’t often hear about our religion or African religion for that matter. But I grew up there, at least for the first ten years of my life. I believe in our gods, our higher power.” 

“So does that mean no Christmas tree in the living room?” Zari leaned against their radiator, fixing Amaya with a large pout. 

Amaya laughed and leaned against the wet counter. “Oh shoot.” Water from the countertop spread up her shirt, making it cling to her flesh. She pulled it off, revealing beautiful brown skin. As Amaya hung it on the radiator, Zari swallowed in a feeble attempt to bring moisture to her quickly drying mouth. The muscles in Amaya's back stood out with each movement, pulling her attention, and Zari had to look away quickly as she turned back again. “It means a huge Christmas tree in the living room. You know I love nature.” She smiled at Zari.

Zari pretended she hadn’t been staring at Amaya’s back muscles and quickly rolled her eyes . “Of course, I should’ve known. With you being a biology student and all,” she muttered. 

“I was a biology student last year, now I’m a master student for animal behaviour.” Amaya  quickly returned from her room in a baby-blue sweater and sat down next to Zari on the couch. Charlie, their handicapped black cat, hopped onto the couch and made his way over to Amaya’s lap. 

Amaya had adopted Charlie when she first moved into the apartment, not wanting to miss out on animal companionship. The nearby animal shelter had offered her a whole lot of other, healthier cats, but Amaya didn’t budge. She wanted Charlie. Charlie had lost his leg when he had fallen off the cat tunnel outside in the yard onto a nail sticking out of the wall. The wound just wouldn’t heal, and eventually, they were forced to get his paw amputated. Not that it slowed him down.

Zari rolled her eyes and pulled her legs up onto the couch. “So, master student for animal behaviour, why does Charlie like you better?” She teased. 

Amaya tapped a finger against her totem. She scratched Charlie behind his ear, looking into his green eyes for a few seconds. “He doesn’t,” she said as Charlie walked over to Zari and plopped down onto her lap. 

Zari started petting Charlie. “One day, you’ll explain to me how you do that. But back to the holidays. I know why I’m staying here. Why are you?” Zari started to regret her words when Amaya’s eyes darkened. 

“My tribe has survived a lot of wars. My family has not,” Amaya said in a hushed tone. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Oh, it’s alright, fighting for the rights of our people is a family tradition.” Amaya touched her totem for a second. “So it seems that we’ll be spending out winter break together. Want to go out tomorrow, get a tree?” 

Zari reached out to Amaya in a dramatic fashion. “I thought you’d never ask.”

They spent the night talking about the winter traditions they used to have. 

“Really?” Zari raised her eyebrows. “Your tradition is to bring a flowery plant into your home every winter?” 

“To remind us that nature will grow again, it’s not that weird!”

“Well, I’m generally allergic to most flowers, so no flowers!” 

Amaya smiled and nodded. “Fine, no flowers. What would you like to find under the tree on Christmas morning?” 

_ Piles and piles of fresh doughnuts, _ Zari thought. _ Amaya in lingerie. The Nintendo Switch. A giant chocolate croissant. _ “How about we just exchange a list of things we like? That way I won’t know what you got me, and you won’t know what I got you.” 

“Deal. I’m curious to see how much of your list I’ll expect. We’ve lived together for seven months now, I think I know you at least a little bit.”

“Only one way to find out.”

<><>

“Good morning!” 

“I still can’t get over your morning attitude,” Zari groaned as she walked into the living room in her PJs. 

“My morning attitude?” Amaya repeated, sipping her tea. 

Zari leaned against their small table, looking at Amaya’s usual breakfast. Oatmeal with honey and cinnamon, and a cup of green tea. “Yeah, the fact that you don’t have one.” She stood up and stretched her arms toward the ceiling.

As a sliver of Zari’s stomach was revealed as her shirt rose, Amaya tried in vain to avert her eyes. Instead, she waved a hand in Zari’s direction. “Will you cover up. You’re making me cold.”

“But I’m hot.”

“That’s the problem,” Amaya mumbled.

“What?"

Amaya cleared her throat. “I said, what about my attitude?”

Zari sighed and placed her hands on her hips. “Well, your early bird attitude and the fact that you can eat the same breakfast every day without getting bored. You’re a student. Where are the cup noodles and cereal your mom would never let you buy in a million years?” 

“They’re in your cupboard.” 

Zari bit back a laugh. “That’s fair.” She went into the kitchen to get herself some breakfast. 

When she first moved out and found a grocery store nearby, Amaya and Zari went shopping together. It was a fun bonding experience for the two of them. Amaya rapidly learned that Zari ran on sugar, and Zari in her turn learned that Amaya had never eaten anything that wasn’t made from scratch. They returned with two very different looking shopping bags. As time passed, they had a positive influence on each other. Zari learned that eating healthy food could also taste pretty good. She also managed to convince Amaya to bake cookies from scratch. They often shared their meals, which was truly convenient. Cooking for one means either wasting food or eating the same thing for days. 

After starting her coffee, Zari returned to the table with a bowl of frosted flakes and soy milk. 

“Do you have any traditional Christmas meals?” Amaya asked. She put down her phone, turning her full attention to Zari.

“Well, when we were little, we always had a big family dinner with loads of different treats. We all pitched in. I usually made a desert, which was cake.” 

Amaya smiled. “What kind of cake?” 

“Awe-” Zari swallowed her mouthful of cereal. “Are you asking me what kind of cake I made or what kind of cake is my favourite?” 

“Both,” she decided. “Both is good.” Amaya always liked to freak Zari out with pop culture references. For some reason, Zari never expected them from her. 

“I made cinnamon apple cake.”

As Zari went to the kitchen and fixed her cup of coffee, black with five sugars, Amaya watched through the window in their kitchen door. She adored Zari, and after all this time, she was still fascinated by the other woman's habits, especially the ones that involved pouring half the sugar pot into a cup of coffee. She smiled softly. "Cinnamon apple cake sounds good!"

  
  


“It was amazing,” Zari said as she walked back into their living room, gingerly sipping her coffee. “Though I can’t take full credit for that. My brother had to stop me from pouring in way too much cinnamon because I thought it smelled nice.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like you,” Amaya laughed. “What’s your favourite type of cake?” 

“Lemon strawberry cake.” 

<> <>

Bundled up in a heavy shirt with one of her warmest sweaters on top, Amaya pulled her winter boots on and pulled her jeans over the tops. She was just grabbing her coat and gloves when Zari came in, stopping her mid-motion. As if the thin, red and black flannel wasn’t enough to make Amaya shiver, Zari’s black, skinny jeans were ripped, flashing skin that was normally enticing but today was just begging for frostbite.  _ What an attractive idiot. _

“Ready to get a Christmas tree?” Zari asked.

“You’re kidding, right? Have you not looked out the windows today? It’s snowing! I know you’re a badass but you can’t get hypothermia.” 

Zari rolled her eyes. “You’re not my mom,” she laughed.

Amaya raised her eyebrows. “Fine, but you’re wearing my big puffy coat.” She handed Zari her skiing coat. “And if you complain that you’re cold, we’re ducking into a cafe and swapping outfits.” 

For a brief moment, Zari could see Amaya and herself, crammed into a bathroom stall as they both took off their clothes.  _ Oh god _ . “But then you’ll be cold!”

_ I have the power of polar bears on my side _ , Amaya thought. “Trust me, it’ll be better. C’mon, let’s go!”

They strolled through the snowy streets, arm in arm so if one of them would slip, the other would fall too. That’s how Zari saw it. Amaya enjoyed having Zari close to her. In the summer, when they first moved in together, Zari would often run so hot Amaya would push herself against the opposite end of the couch. That was the only way to avoid the warmth that was streaming off Zari in all directions. 

“So about that tree,” Zari started. “Can we really get a huge one please?” She batted her snowy eyelashes. 

“Of course, I want a huge tree too.” 

An hour later, as they struggled up the stairs to their apartment, hefting the tree up and over a railing, this seemed like a less appealing idea. 

“Why did we want a big tree again?” 

“That’s not the Christmas spirit,” Amaya replied. She had half a mind to use her totem and toss the tree up the stairs with the strength of a gorilla. But Zari didn’t know. Not yet. Luckily they lived on the fourth floor and not any higher up. If only the elevator hadn’t been broken, they could’ve stuck the tree in there with some effort. 

Panting, they reached their apartment. Zari set down her end of the tree and opened the door with a sigh of relief… a sigh that was short-lived when she found a stranger in their living room.  _ Who breaks into a student’s house? There’s no money there. _

“Z, why’d you stop?” Amaya’s muffled voice came from behind the tree. 

With a hand on her totem, Zari took a step forward, wearing the angriest face she could muster. “You have five seconds to explain why you broke into our home,” she growled. A soft breeze started swirling around her. Not fast enough to notice, but steadily picking up speed.

The woman jumped up from her chair and held up her hands. “Wait, wait! I’m a friend, I promise.” 

Zari raised her eyebrows but slowed down her miniature tornado. 

“Sara?” Amaya stuck her head around the tree. 

Zari turned to her roommate, pushing a few tree branches out of the way so she could see Amaya’s face. “I’m sorry you know this chick who broke into our apartment?” 

Blushing, Amaya shrugged. “She’s one of my best friends.”

After the introduction, though somewhat awkward, Sara helped them bring the tree inside the apartment. When Amaya disappeared into the kitchen to make them all some hot chocolate, Zari turned to Sara. “So, freckles.” Zari crossed her arms and gave Sara the sternest look she could muster.

Sara smiled. “I’m Sara. Sara Lance.” She held out her hand. “I’m Amaya’s childhood best friend, sorry for the break-in. I’m a federal agent and since Amaya wasn’t picking up her phone, I wasn’t going to stay outside in the snow…” She shrugged.

Zari quickly shook Sara’s hand. “So you used your training to break into our apartment?” Zari raised her eyebrows, reviewing everything she knew about Amaya. Nope, no signs of her being a federal agent, besides her amazing body. 

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

Suddenly, Zari realised that her friend had been planning on dropping by too. “Uh, Sara?” She started, fidgeting with her totem around her neck. “Has anyone dropped by? Or, to rephrase, have you scared anyone off?” 

Amaya walked in with a serving tray covered in Christmas cookies and mugs full of hot chocolate. “Hey, what’d I miss?” She asked, placing the tray on their coffee table and turning to hug Sara. “Besides you, of course.”

Zari felt a pang of jealousy in her stomach, which she fixed by sticking a cookie into her mouth. Sorry mister snowman, you won’t survive the night.

“I explained who I am, and how I got inside. Zari asked if anyone else dropped by,” Sara quickly summarised. 

“Yeah, you didn’t answer that.” Zari sat down next to Amaya.

“Right,” Sara leaned against a chair across from them. “No, no one dropped by. Why, were you expecting someone?”

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Zari rose and pressed the buzzer. “Hello?” 

“Hey, it’s Felicity!” 

“Come on up.” Zari buzzed her in. 

“Oh, Felicity’s coming?” Amaya sat up. “That’s awesome, she hasn’t been around lately!” 

“Yeah, she’s been busy at her new job, but I figured it’d be nice to give her her Hanukkah gift in person.” It was perhaps two minutes later when Zari was pulling the door open and drawing Felicity into a tight hug. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“I missed you too, Z,” Felicity laughed. “Do you guys know your elevator is broken?”

“Hey, is that girl…” Sara whispered to Amaya, with her hands on the back of Amaya’s chair. 

“Straight?” Amaya whispered back. “Don’t think so but I haven’t tested my hypothesis.” She turned and looked at her friend. “Go for it.” 

Sara smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

“Hey, Amaya, nice to see you!” Felicity walked to the table and Amaya got up to give her a hug. 

“Nice to see you too, where’ve you been? This is Sara, by the way.” 

Felicity stepped to Sara and held out her hand. “Hi, Felicity.”

Sara took Felicity’s hand with a smile. “Sara.”

As Felicity began to make herself some tea in the kitchen, it was clear she knew her way around the apartment. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around much, this new job has been intense. But we still see each other during class!” 

Amaya raised an eyebrow. 

“Okay, Zari and I still see each other during class,” Felicity corrected herself. “I don’t think I’ve seen you on campus…” Felicity glanced at Sara with interest. “What do you study?” 

“I’m a federal agent. I’m two years older than Amaya.” Sara smiled. 

“Impressive,” she mumbled. The two of them returned to the living room and Zari made an attempt to follow, but Amaya grabbed her hand, sending a shiver up her spine.

“What is it?” Zari asked, praying that she wouldn’t blush.  _ It’s just a simple touch _ , she reminded herself. 

Amaya glanced at their friends, then pulled Zari further away from the doorway. “I wanted to ask you if Felicity’s straight,” Amaya kept her voice down, now holding both of Zari’s hands. 

Zari’s eyes widened, and her fingers twitched against Amaya’s as she fought against the instinct to pull away. “Uhm. I don’t think I should answer that question, that’s not for me to say.”

Biting her lower lip, Amaya nodded. “Of course. You’re right, sorry.” 

“Why?”

Amaya winked. “Asking for a friend. Can you tell me if she’s single?”

“Oh, okay.” Zari failed to keep her voice neutral as her heart fell. “Yeah, she is.” 

“Awesome.” Amaya smiled and squeezed Zari’s hands, gesturing with her head toward the living room. “Cute, right?”

Zari swallowed down the knot that had formed in her throat and glanced into the living. Felicity was smiling, laughing, at something no doubt amusing that Sara was saying. As much as it hurt, Zari couldn’t disagree.

“Yeah, she is.”

“She?” Amaya turned her head, waiting with raised brows.

Meeting Amaya’s gaze, Zari said, “Felicity.”

“Oh.” Amaya glanced back at the living room and shrugged. “I guess. Sara sure thinks so. I just think they make a cute couple, don’t you? You want to help me play matchmaker?”

Zari opened and closed her mouth.  _ Amaya really was asking for a friend. _ Her heart fluttered as she smiled. “Oh, yes, definitely.” 

  
  


Sliding into one of the chairs across from where Sara and Felicity sat on the couch, Amaya caught Sara’s gaze and nodded while flicking her gaze over to Felicity. The responding curve of a smile in the corner of Sara’s mouth was all it took to let Amaya know her message had been received.

Sliding a little closer to Felicity, Sara smiled broadly. “So, Felicity, I’m not from around here. Got any tips for helping a girl find a good place to eat?”

“Sure, look on Yelp.”

“Oof,” Zari mumbled as she grabbed a cookie from the plate.

Sara cleared her throat. “Cool, I can do that, babe. Sorry, is that offensive? How do you feel about pet names?”

“I mean,” Felicity looked over at Charlie who was grooming himself, “You have to call them something, right?”

“His name’s Charlie, not babe.” Amaya smirked.

While Sara glared at Amaya, Zari asked,  "Sara, didn't you say you were having problems with your phone?"

"I am?” At a loud throat clearing, Sara looked over at Zari who was staring at her, pointedly. “Oh! Yeah, I am!"

“You’re in luck,” Amaya said. “Felicity is a real tech wiz I bet she can help you out.”

“I can take a look. What’s wrong with it?”

“Oh, there's a problem with my contacts.”

“What's the problem?”

With a sly smile, Sara slid her phone across to Felicity. “Your number isn't in it.”

Felicity’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as her gaze went from the phone to Sara, and her cheeks turned. “Well, I... um... did you know the standard smart phone can hold 1,000 contacts, but utilising the cloud for contact storage, you can hold more than that? I don't need more than that. Who would need more than that? Who would be that popular? I mean maybe you because you're really really hot and, oh God, did I say that out loud?”

Zari crammed a cookie into Felicity’s mouth, so she couldn’t embarrass herself any further. “Tastes better than your foot, doesn’t it? Eat that while you put your number in the girl’s phone.”

Felicity could only chew while she typed her number into Sara’s contacts.

“So Felicity,” Sara said, leaning back on the couch. “Between this job and your studies, got any time to date?” 

Felicity blushed and swallowed her cookie before speaking. “I- uh. I can make time if I really want to,” she mumbled. 

Sara tilted her head. “Would you make time for me?” 

Felicity opened her mouth, speechless.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, just say yes!” Zari rolled her eyes and stood up to get Felicity’s Hanukkah gift.

Felicity turned bright red. “Yes, I’d, I’d like that.” 

Amaya snorted, then exchanged a look with Sara. They’d taken the scenic route, but they’d reached their destination. 

“Happy Hanukkah.” Zari returned and placed a gift in front of Felicity.

“Ooh, thanks! Wait, I have a gift for you too, hold on.” Felicity went digging through her purse. She pulled out a present wrapped in the brightest rainbow wrapping paper Zari had ever seen. “I know you’ve been looking for these for years,” Felicity said as Zari tore the wrapping paper. 

Zari gasped and pressed the two limited edition Nintendo games to her chest.”I can’t believe you remembered!” She jumped up and wrapped her arms around Felicity. “Thank you!”

“Of course,” Felicity said as Zari let go, and she ripped into her own gift, revealing the most high-tech keyboard she had ever seen.

“You didn’t.” Felicity stared in awe.

“Oh, but I did. Happy Hanukkah, I look forward to testing that baby out next time we’re working on a project at your place.”

"Oh my god, is this the Ergo Dox EZ, the one with open source firmware and keys that can be mapped to any position?"

Sara and Amaya exchanged identical looks of confusion. What was the big deal about this shiny sleek keyboard?

Felicity noticed their baffled expressions and smiled. “Think of it as the coolest, newest plant ever.” 

Sara pulled an even more confused face, making Amaya laugh. 

“Super fancy high-tech gadget,” Amaya said. 

“Ohhh. Now it makes sense.”

The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon catching up before Sara and Felicity had to go. When they were alone, Amaya wrapped her arms around Zari’s from behind and leaned her chin on Zari’s shoulder. “I think we just matched a wonderful duo,” she said quietly. 

Zari placed her hands on Amaya’s arms. “I just hope Sara won’t break into Felicity’s apartment.” 

Amaya laughed. “I’ll tell her not to. Now, shall we decorate this giant tree?”

They spent the next hour trying to keep Charlie from leaping into their tree. Even on his three paws, he was fast. Tugging on the large string of lights he found in the box, or pawing at the fragile decorations. When they were done hanging the garlands on the tree, they thought they’d lost Charlie. Rummaging through the decorations, Amaya found Charlie. He lay curled up in the large Santa hat. Finally, they could decorate in peace. When they finished, the tree was the most colourful item in their living room. 

“I love it,” Zari said, standing back to admire their work. 

The lights glowed, soft and white while different ornaments stood out in every colour of the rainbow. Some were things they’d bought as adults, glass baubles or little silver bells, while others were childhood memories. Amaya hung a little plastic ball filled with water and flakes of glitter and a pipe cleaner reindeer whose feet could wrap around a branch. Zari brought out a sad little snowman that was made from cotton balls and glue which had seen better days and an angel made from popsicle sticks and cardboard. Several different colours of garland wrapped around the tree to complete the rainbow explosion. On the very top, where a tree topper would normally sit, was the Santa hat Charlie had insisted was a bed. It had been standing on a chair and leaning into Amaya for support, a fact that every part of Zari’s body had been aware at the time, that they were able to perch it on the very top and finish off their tree.

“Me too. But I am so tired now. What do you feel like having for dinner?” 

Zari ignored the thought in the back of her mind and wrapped an arm around Amaya’s shoulders. “Let me tell you about this magical thing called takeout.”

<><>

They ended up ordering from the local vegetarian place, to avoid any non-halal meats. 

“So how often do people usually order takeout?” Amaya asked as she opened one of the cartons, containing her vegetable soup. 

“Depends. In my family, it was rare. We always had leftovers so we never really needed to. It only happened when we were all too exhausted to cook.” She pulled open the box containing her noodle dish and her stomach growled enthusiastically. 

“This was a good idea, according to your stomach,” Amaya teased. 

“You’re lucky I love you,” Zari mumbled between her mouthfuls of noodles. She felt her heart pound against her ribs, at the realisation of her words. If only Amaya knew how much she meant to her. 

“I love you too, Z.”    
  


Zari’s gaze met Amaya’s, and she wondered if the tremble in Amaya’s voice was real, or if she imagined it. “Hey, remember the first time we met?” She changed the subject, though she couldn’t shake the tension. “We went for coffee together and I talked your ear off about that Pokemon Moon game I just got,” she added, smiling at the memory. 

“Yeah.” Amaya smiled back at Zari. “It was really cute. I told you I was a biology student and you asked me if there was any way to make a Pokemon.”

Zari blushed and almost choked on her dinner. She coughed and set it down. “I was hoping you would forget that,” she muttered. 

Amaya put her soup down and rubbed Zari’s back. “Oh, not in a million years, Z.”

Zari caught her breath and sat up. “Well now I know you thought I was cute,” she teased. 

“You didn’t think I was cute?” Amaya raised an eyebrow and a dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

“Oh, you’ve only gotten cuter.” Zari froze, wishing the words would return to her vocal cords. 

Amaya tilted her head, then leaned toward Zari, hanging over the cat resting between them. 

“So you think I’m cute, huh?”

Zari made a weak attempt at avoiding Amaya’s gaze.  _ How was she supposed to respond to that?  _ Curiosity got the best of her, and she looked into Amaya’s eyes. “Yes,” she mumbled. 

Amaya reached out and took Zari’s hand. “Cute like… our Charlie here or cute like how Sara thought Felicity was cute?” 

“Can you stop asking me awkward questions?” 

"I have one more question." Amaya held up a single finger and smiled. "Just one more, and you can say no or say nothing, and that's a no."

Cautiously, Zari nodded.

“Can I kiss you?” 

“Yes.”

Amaya let go of Zari’s hand so she could steady herself and not fall onto their cat. She stretched out her neck and kissed Zari. She pulled back fast, too fast for Zari’s taste.

Zari sighed and opened her eyes slowly. “Hey, Amaya?” she whispered. 

“Yeah?” Amaya kept her eyes on Charlie. 

“I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since I met you.”

Amaya looked up. “Wait, really?” 

Zari laughed at her expression. “Yeah! I’ve had a huge crush on you for so long.”

“Aw, man! I really should have kissed you sooner.” 

“Only one person to blame for that,” Zari teased. 

Amaya gently hit her on the arm. 

“Well, I’d love to keep kissing you,” Zari started. “But I am still hungry.”

“If you weren’t you wouldn’t be you.” 

After finishing their late dinner, they were so tired they almost fell asleep on the couch, limbs intertwined. Zari felt like she was floating on air, with Amaya in her arms. Struggling to keep her eyes open, Zari rested her head in the crook of Amaya’s neck. She wasn’t ready to fall asleep just yet, now that her dreams were a reality. She did know that sleeping on the couch together would have disastrous results for their backs the next morning. From under her eyelashes, she watched Amaya breathing regularly, dozing off. 

Fortunately, that was the moment Charlie decided to jump onto their coffee table and start licking Amaya’s bowl clean. This caused Amaya to clean up and drag Zari into her bedroom, where they fell asleep, as intertwined as they were before. 

<><>

“Good morning!” Amaya peeked her head around Zari’s bedroom door at nine AM. 

“You’re lucky I love you,” Zari grumbled. 

“Yes, yes I am. But that’s not why I’m here.” 

Zari sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Why do you sound like you’re hiding something?” 

Amaya pushed the door open with her shoulder and held out her oven-mitt covered hands. “I know it’s my family’s tradition to bring flowery plants into our home during winter, but since you’re allergic, I baked bread for you!” She sat down on the foot of Zari’s bed and showed her the tiny bread, rising above the edge of a small terracotta pot. 

Zari stared at the bread, then at Amaya. “You baked me bread in a tiny pot.”

“Yes,” Amaya replied, nervous about her choice. 

“Oh my god, best girl ever!” Zari carefully wrapped her arms around Amaya, so she wouldn’t touch the pot and kissed her. “Oh man, why are you so cold?”

Amaya giggled and rested her hands on her lap. “I’ve been up for an hour and we turn off the heating every night, remember?”

“Right.” Zari slowly pulled Amaya backwards, further and further onto her bed. 

“Z, no! I want to go out and buy you a Christmas present.” Amaya struggled against Zari’s grip. 

Zari stopped pulling and rested her arms on Amaya’s legs. “Ah, you know exactly how to get me to stop, don’t you?” She grumbled. “Fine but you have to stay home for at least another two hours.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to eat your adorable bread for breakfast,” Zari pointed at the pot. “And then I will be baking you a surprise. So you can’t leave yet.” To add to her arguments, she kissed the slope of Amaya’s neck.

Amaya sighed and leaned into Zari’s embrace. “That’s fair…” They stayed intertwined for a few more seconds before she broke the spell. “Well, come on, Z!” She jumped up and waved the pot in Zari’s face. “Breakfast is ready!” 

“Why do you have to be a morning person,” Zari grumbled as she pulled herself out of bed. 

After devouring her adorable breakfast, which sadly didn’t turn out to be Amaya, Zari got dressed. She banned Amaya from the kitchen and started on her own treat. After so long, she knew exactly what Amaya liked and didn’t like. The two of them were both connected to their past, and like Amaya, Zari could embrace it. Every part of it. Which was why she wanted to make a cinnamon apple cake for Amaya. Well, that, and the fact that Amaya loved cinnamon as much as little Zari did.

Amaya knew exactly what she wanted to get Zari for Christmas, and sitting around waiting wasn’t what she wanted to do. She had been thinking about it all year. But the gift wouldn’t have fit the relationship if they hadn’t been dating. And now that they were, she couldn’t wait any longer. Well, any longer than Zari would take in the kitchen. 

“Okay, you can come in now!” Zari opened the kitchen door. 

Amaya practically jumped off the couch. “So, why’d I have to wait this long?” She asked. 

Zari put on the oven mitts and carefully flipped the cake tin. A beautiful cake came tumbling out. “You made me bread in a pot, kind of like your tradition. I made you cinnamon apple cake, like my tradition.” 

Amaya’s eyes brightened, and she took a few steps toward Zari. “Can our new tradition be a lot of kissing during Christmas?” 

Zari smiled. “Absolutely. Let’s get a head start.” 

And that’s what they did.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So, what'd y'all think of my first Zamaya piece?  
> Love,  
> Freckles


End file.
